


Pilot

by Fragile_Porcelain



Category: Chuck (TV)
Genre: Based off TV show, Dead Bryce Larkin, Episode: s01e01 Pilot, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Heartbroken John Casey, M/M, Mutual Pining, Nerdy Chuck, Openly gay Casey, Openly gay Chuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-24
Packaged: 2018-05-22 17:39:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6088555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fragile_Porcelain/pseuds/Fragile_Porcelain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jill was just a character that Chuck created to soften the blow that his boyfriend, Bryce, had gotten him kicked out of Stanford. On his birthday, Chuck still retrieved the email from his ex-boyfriend/dream wrecker. With the Intersect in his brain, life become steadily more complicated. </p><p>John Casey didn’t want to admit how badly it hurt. When the news came though the wire that Bryce was dead. He put on his normal grim face, but inside was dying. Bryce didn’t just work in the same department. They were partners, and not just at work. They were friends, they were lovers. Now, standing before is dead boyfriends ex-boyfriend, he understood why Bryce hated himself for what he did to Chuck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Bryce Larkin worked for the NSA instead of CIA. Chuck is gay. Morgan is still his annoying best friend. Ellie and Captain Awesome are cool with Chuck’s sexuality. Ellie is always trying to set him up with every guy she knows. John is still gruff and cold, but has a huge soft spot for Chuck. But John chooses to keep Chuck at a distance in order to keep himself from ending up hurt again. (Basically just the TV show Chuck, but with Casey & Chuck instead of Chuck & Sarah)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ***This work is temporarily paused. Chapter will be slowly (Very slowly) added. Paused not abandoned. But don't hold your breath.***

“Morgan, this is a bad idea.”

“Well, we can’t stay here, Chuck.”

“I’m uncomfortable with the plan.”

“Plan? What plan? This is survival.” The knock on the door silenced him. “That’s her. We’ve been compromised. I’m a ghost.” Morgan slipped out the window.

“Morgan, you can’t leave me like this. You can’t do this to me, man.” The light flicked on, forcing both of them to freeze.

“Chuck, what are you doing?”

“Uh… escaping.”

“From your own birthday party?” Ellie questioned.

“Wow, Ellie, you look fan tastic.” Morgan’s foot slipped and he fell lower out the window.

“Uh, you know, sis, the thing is, Morgan and I don't really feel like we're fitting in at my birthday party… 'cause we don't know anybody, 'cause they're all your friends. And they happen to be doctors.”

“Yeah, Doctor’s don’t really get our jokes.”

“Well, your jokes.”

“Okay, my jokes.” Morgan slipped down the wall more.

“Chuck, I have invited real, live men for you. So please let's go. Morgan, you stay here.” Ellie ushered the man out of the room.

“Need a hand, buddy?” Chuck offered before leaving the room.

“No, no, no, I’m okay. I’m alright.” Morgan stood, the windows only reached the man’s knees. Chuck only rolled his eyes. He exited the room.

“Birthday boy, come with me. We’re going to be social. You are funny, you are smart. You are handsome.” Ellie pushed him through the crowd of people.

“Okay, I've identified some candidates for Chuck and they are awesome.” Captain Awesome approached and patted Chuck on the shoulder. He led Chuck to a group of guys. “Let me introduce you to Chuck. Ellie's brother.” Awesome patted his shoulder and exited. Leaving his as the center of attention.

“Hi. Chuck. We’ve heard so much about you.”

“Are you in a costume?” One of the man ran his hand across Chuck’s half undone tie.

“No. I work at the Nerd Herd.”

“Nerd Herd? That’s adorable.” The man smiled at him and chuck didn’t know what to do.

“What do you really want to do?”

“I’m working on my five-year plan. Just need to pick a font.”

“What happened here?” One of the men hand his hand across the taped area of Chuck’s hand. He pulled away. “Did you hurt your hand?”

“Call of Duty marathon. The controller chafes after several hours.”

“Ellie said that you went to Stanford?”

“Yes, that’s technically correct.”

“I graduated in ’02.” The man said with a smile. “What was your major?”

“Engineering.”

“Oh, my God, I knew this great guy. He was an engineer… um… he ran track and I think he was a gymnast, too.”

“Bryce Larkin.”

“Oh, yeah. Did you know him?”

“He was my… Roommate.”

“What's he doing now?” The man asked.

“I think he's an accountant.” Chuck said with a shrug. He tried not to show how much it pained him to talk about the other man. He had loved Bryce. It had killed him that Bryce thought he could have stolen those tests. He was devastated. He had been two quarters away from graduating, and Bryce had left him. Chucks word had crumbled around in around him.

“So… Do you have someone in your life? Girlfriend… Boyfriend…?” One of the men asked, snapping Chuck back to reality.

“Uh, no I did a while back… at Stanford. A girlfriend. We met freshman year.”

“Oh, that was a while back.”

“I was walking across the quad and she had dropped her bag, and I was like, you know, rushing to go and pick it up for her, and, uh and we kind of, like, did that whole, like, you know, kind of in a cartoon… kind of bumped heads. There was a whole gang of us. Jill and Bryce. We had so much in common then.” Chuck sighed.

He had replayed the story over and over again in his head. Trying to convince himself that it was really what happened. Across the courtyard, Awesome watched as the other man crashed and burned.

“How is he doing?” Ellie asked.

“Not awesome.” Awesome replies with a frown. The group of guys had moved away from Chuck, while he was busy giving his speech about Jill, Bryce and all the good old days.

“… And just like that, I was on a train home. Jill was with Bryce. He thought Chuck came back into reality, only to find that everyone had left in the middle of his speech. He sighted. Just another day in the life of Charlies Bartowski.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

John continued to search. If had been eight weeks since he had woken up alone. The silk sheets were cold, and the other half of the bed was empty. Fifty-six agenizing days since he read the note on his bedside table.

 

_“It's hard to say good-bye.”_

 

One sentence on a scrap of paper. That was all that John get in explanation. Three days later, Bryce Larkin was declared a rough agent. Everyone looked to John for an explanation. They were partners, John should know everything.

 

 But John knew nothing. He really wish he did. He wished he could find the other man, talk him down from any crazy plan he was considering. They were friends. Lovers. He could get Bryce to stop his craziness.

 

 When the notification that Bryce was dead came across his computer, John just stared. He wasn't convinced. Not until he saw the body beg being wheeled into the morgue. When the men unzipped the bag, John thought he was going to break down. It was true. Bryce was dead.

 

He motioned the men away. A grim look on his face. He didn't return to his desk. He got in his car and drove. And drove. He drove until the noise that was the capital was silenced behind him. He pulled to the side of the rode, miles from real life and he cried.

 

He cried like he hadn't in years, not since his mother had died. Bryce had held him. Hushed him. Told him everything was going to be alright. But now Bryce was gone and John was alone. He cried until he was no long able to form tears.

 

The next day, when he entered his office, no one would tell that he was any different. When someone mentioned Bryce, his stone face didn't change. He was over it, done.

 

When Sarah walker entered the office, John wanted to kill her. She had been the one to take the man from him. John hated her. But he didn't let it show. He followed her with his eyes.

 

She and her boss entering into the Generals office. John wanted to be in that meeting to know what lies that woman was spreading about his partner. But all John could make out was one word.

 

_CHUCK._

 

John grabbed his keys and was gone. He knew what he needed to do. Where he needed to be.


	2. Chapter 2

“Thanks for my party.” Chuck accepted the beer his sister offered to him. She seated herself on the fountain beside him. “Your seven-layer dip tasted like eight.”

 

“Can I tell you a secret?”

 

“It really was eight layers?” Chuck diverted the conversation, in hope of not having _that_ conversation again.

 

“Even though we may ask, no one really wants to hear about an old relationships. It's depressing, okay? Stanford was five years ago. You need to move on. It's time.”

 

“Do we really have to have this conversation again?” Chuck asked frustrated.

 

“We've rehearsed it enough.”

 

“Fine. I'll get over Jill tomorrow.” Chuck abandoned his drink and his sister, choosing instead to wallow in self-pity. He went to his room, only to have Morgan follow him into his room.

 

“Cheer up, Chuck, at least you talked to someone.” Morgan said with a shrug. He continued to play Chuck’s video game. “You know, it’s a start.” Chuck just shrugged. Morgan continued to play, distracted only by the ping on the computer. “Wow. Blast-from-the-past.” Chuck turned to him, confused. “Bryce remember your birthday, dude.”

 

“What?”

 

“The guy who got you kicked out of school, the guy who stole your girl, remember that guy?” _Bryce. The man who broke your heart_ _, betrayed you, made you believe that you will never be enough for anyone. That Bryce._

 

“Yeah, Morgan, I think I remember Bryce.” Chuck went to the computer. He tapped the keys and opened the message. The text that appeared on the screen trigged something in Chuck. A happy memory. Him and Bryce in their dorm room, laid together in on their bed, programming their own Zork game. Once upon a time, it was one of Chuck favorite memories.

 

“Huh, what is it?” Morgan looked at the text confused.

 

“Zork. You remember Zork the old text-based video game? Well, Bryce and I programmed our own version of it back at Stanford.”

 

“Wow, you guys were really cool.”

 

“Yeah, if I could only remember what was in my hero's satchel?” Morgan looked at him confused. “The weapons that I would use to kill the Terrible Troll.”

 

“Right. You know what, you're still really cool.” Morgan said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

 

“And, uh, you're going home.”

 

“Is it that time?”

 

“It’s that time.”

 

“Right.” Morgan headed for the window.

 

“Pedal safe!” Chuck called as he closed the shades.

 

“Thank you!” Morgan called. Chuck couldn’t help but smile.

 

He waited for several moment before he typed his answer into the computer. The photos that flashed before his eyes kept coming, and coming. Before Chuck knew what was happening, his alarm was going off and he was looking up at Morgan.

 

“Chuck? Chuck?” Morgan slapped his face in attempt to wake his friend. “Dude? Dude, you okay?”

 

“Morgan?” Chuck asked confused.

 

“Yeah, man. Yeah. It’s me.” Morgan helped him to stand.

 

“What happened?”

 

“I was going to ask you the same question.”

 

“You okay?”

 

“Did you spike the punch?”

 

“Something goes wrong, you blame me. After all these years, where’s the trust? Yes, I did.”

 

Chuck showered quickly, feeling beyond tired. He turned on the radio, images flashing before his eyes as he listened. He didn’t understand what they meant and how he knew them. He stood under the spray for several moments, trying to figure out what had just happened.

 

He changed quickly, exiting the apartment with Morgan at his heels. Morgan talked, but Chuck didn't really listen. His head hurt, like someone had stabbed him with a knife in his temple.

 

"So this morning I'm playing Xbox. And I'm like, dude, just let me get the sniper rifle, I'll take care of it. The guy won't give me the sniper rifle. I made him eat a frag grenade.”

 

“Morgan, Morgan, Morgan, Morgan. As much as I would love to talk video games with you right now, I've got a really splitting headache and in fact, you know what? Can you do me a favor? Do you mind driving?”

 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Are you… are you, look, are you being serious? You're going to let me drive?

 

“It's a company car, Morgan. It's not that big a deal.”

 

“It's not just a company car, okay? A hoopty's a hoopty, home boy. I mean, this baby's sitting on chrome… or plastic?”

 

“But do me a favor and stay off the 5. Okay? Because the cops are in a phased deployment….” Morgan looked at him confused wondering why he knew that. He also wondered that. The smaller man just shrugged it off.

 

“Okay. Thanks for the tip, Ponch.”

 

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><> 

 

John sat in his car, outside the Buy More, waiting. He knew so much about the target. When Bryce would get drunk, he would cry and spill his guts. John would held him. No matter where they were, Bryce always cried about the same thing.

 

 Bryce called it his biggest mistake. He had truly loved the nerdy man. But Chuck had been a candidate for 'the program' and Bryce couldn't let him be drawn in, not like he had. Like John had been. Stealing those tests and blaming Chuck had shattered Bryce's heart, almost as watching the other man walk away. Years later is was still the one thing in Bryce's life that he truly regretted.

 

Even their last night together, Bryce had spoken about Chuck. He and John had sex, nothing out of the ordinary. Bryce topped, which was normal. He had called out Chuck name when he came, which wasn't normal.

 

It was like a dagger to John's his heart, but he was so close, it didn't matter. Two more thrusts and he was cuming inside the other man. John ignored when Bryce attempted to flee from the bed, John just held him tighter, preventing him from going anywhere. 

 

Bryce cried on John's chest. He cried about not being enough for John, and how he wished he could love John the way John loved him. But he couldn't. His heart belonged to another. He sobbed, wishing he could take back everything he had done to Chuck.

 

Bryce wished Chuck didn't hate him. That maybe one day, he could go to Chuck and explain why he did what he did. Maybe then Chuck wouldn't hate him. Now, he would never get that chance. John sighed. He didn’t have the time to deal with such issues now. He had a job to do and an intersect to find.


	3. Chapter 3

“Fellow nerds, today is going to be a very bad day.” Chuck stood in the middle of the Nerd Herd call center. “We've got a new computer virus on our hands. They're calling this one the Irene Demova virus.” Around him the other snickered.

 

“Yes, yes, it's named after the Serbian porn star. Lonely dude call volume will be high. This is a nasty one, kids. It's a computer killer. Last night, the display version of our Prism Express laptop was fried when _someone_ decided to enter Ms. Demova's Web site.” Chuck glared over his shoulder at Morgan.

 

“Anna, close the eyes. This is what happens.” Chuck pressed the button. The images that showed across the screen were beyond inappropriate. Around him the others laughed and snickered. But it wasn’t Chuck’s style.

 

“Food is sexy? Am I sexy?” The screen began to blur. “Am I sexy?” The screen went black.

 

“Sorry chuck, she drives me crazy. But that’s love.” Morgan clicked on the TV, hoping to distract everyone from his mistake.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, if you'll please just ignore Dirty Uncle Morgan, I think that everything….” Chuck glared at Morgan again. Morgan shrugged. But Chuck wasn’t looking at him anymore. His attention was taken by the TV behind him.

 

“…to arrive in Los Angeles later today to deliver a speech before the Pacific Security League tomorrow evening. The general has drawn fire for his criticism normal.

General Stanfield, the former Allied Commander of NATO…” The news reporter was saying.

 

“He's already here. He landed last night.” Chuck couldn’t stop the words from slipping out.

 

“Who's already here, Chuckles?” Anna asked confused

 

“I don't know.” He looked at her, just as confused.

 

The day continued on Chuck was on the phone, talking to a client about the inability to get their computer to connect. Morgan stood on the other side of the counter, avoiding work like normal.

 

“Stop the presses! Who is that? Tall dark, and brooding looks like Bruce Wayne.”

 

“Oh yeah?” Chuck asked not looking from his file. “Is he going to put on a mask and take down to his Batcave?” Chuck said, his attention still on the file before him. “Is he going tie me up next to the Batmobile? As long as he respects my safeword, I’m good with it.”

 

“I hope I’m not interrupting.” A voice said and Chuck dropped the phone and the file, his full attention turning to the man at his counter.

 

“You know Bruce Wayne…? It’s from Batman.” Chuck tried to dignify his answer.

 

“'Cause that makes it better.” The tall man looked between Chuck and Morgan. “I don’t remember Batman having a BDMS fetish. But I had my suspicion about him and Robin.” Chuck couldn’t help but chuckle.

 

“Hi.”

 

“Hi.” The man replied. For a moment the two just stared at each other.

 

“Hi. I’m Morgan.” The short man cut in. The customer looked at Morgan confused. “This is, uh, this is Chuck.” Chuck gave him an awkward wave.

 

“Wow! I didn't think people still named their kids Chuck, or Morgan, for that matter.”

 

“My parents are sadists, and carnival freaks found him in a dumpster…”

 

“But they raised me as one of their own.” The customer cracked a smile. Chuck would be lying if he thought that he didn’t like it.

 

“How can we help you...?”

 

“John.”

 

“John.” Chuck smiled.

 

“I’m here about this.” John placed the cellphone on the counter. Its back was removed and the battery was out.

 

“Oh, yeah.  The Intelicel. Yeah. Absolutely.” Chuck took the parts in his hand and took a little screwdriver out of the desk. “This model has a little screw that pops loose right in the back here. Just go ahead and give it a couple of quick turns and good as new, no problem.” He talked with the back of the phone on in his mouth, and John couldn’t help but smile. He could see why Bryce had liked the man, he was adorably nerdy. Chuck handed the phone back to the man.

 

“Wow! You geeks are good.”

 

“Nerds.” Chuck and Morgan connected him together.

 

“I would say nerds probably more…”

 

“It’s no big deal.”

 

“You know, yeah.”

 

“I mean, Nerd Herd” John listened to the two babbled, finding himself amused.

 

“Excuse me. Excuse me. I have an emergency.” A man approached out of breath and in a state of panic. He was followed by a little girl, in a pink tutu. The man held a camera that he was pushing at Chuck. “I don't know what I did wrong, but I shot the entire recital, but, um, now it won't play back.”

 

“Okay. We’ll just take a look.” He opened the dock, only to find it empty. “You don’t have a tape in here.”

 

“But its digital.” The man said confused.

 

“Oh, boy.” Morgan gowned at the man’s elbow.

 

“Right. Yes. But you still need digital tape.” Chuck clarified. The man’s face fell.

 

“Oh, no. Her mom's going to kill me.” Chuck’s attention went from the man to the little girl. She looked like she was going to cry.

 

“Uh Morgan, I need the wall.” Chuck ordered.

 

“It’s yours.” Morgan was quickly away, the man looking after him confused.

 

“I’m so sorry.” Chuck turned quickly to John. He have the man a smile. “Okay. This way.” Chuck motioned the man and child away from the counter. John looked after him, intrigued at what the man was planning. 

 

“You ready?” Chuck asked the little girl. She looked nervous. “What's wrong?”

 

“I'm usually in the back row.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I'm too tall. I block the other ballerinas.” The girl looked even more nervous.

 

“Can I tell you a secret? But you can't tell the other girls. Real ballerinas are tall.” The girl smiled and so did he. At the Nerd Herd counter John watched with interest. He liked when Chick smiled, and how good the man was with children. John wouldn’t deny that children and a family was something that he wanted. Watching the man interact with the child sparked something in John, a deep desire for more.

 

The classical music began to play and the child began to dance. The customers all gathered around, and watched. Chuck waited front and center with a dumb grim on his face. The girl finished her routine. Everyone clapped and Chuck turned back to the counter. John was still there, a large smile plastered across his face. Chuck thought that he looked extra handsome when he smiled. Chuck only made it three steps towards when he ran right into Harry Tang.

 

“Chuck?”

 

“Harry, we’ll be back up and running in five minutes.” Chuck looked over the shorter man, his attention on John.

 

“Five minutes? Do you know what five minutes means in buy more dollars?”

 

“I didn’t know we had our own currency. Look, I'm sorry about all the commotion…” Chuck looked at the man confused.

 

“We are not stock boys anymore, Chuck! We are leaders, Buy More leaders, it’s no wonder why Big Mike wants me for assistant manager.”

 

“Big Mike didn't tell me there was an opening.”

 

“And why should he?” Harry scuffed before pushing past Chuck. Chuck looked after him confused. He turned his attention to the one ray of sunshine, his Batman. But John was gone. Chuck’s heart dropped a little.

 

“Chuck, dude, he left you his card!” Morgan said from where John had just been standing. Morgan held up the card, a smile on his face.

 

<><><><><><><><><> 

“Why wouldn’t you call this guy?” Morgan asked. Chuck spent the day thinking about the tall stranger, flicking the card around in his hand. He headed from work, pensively debating whether he should call the other man.

 

“Oh, I don’t know. Did you see him?”

 

“Yes. Tall, dark and brooding. Not quite my style, but still hot. That’s why I going to repeat the question; ‘Why wouldn’t you call this guy?”

 

“Because I live on planet Earth, Morgan.” Chuck rolled his eyes. He looked at his best friend confused. “Why are you following me home?”

 

“We're going to go do friend things, and I need to use your computer because mine's still acting up on me.”

 

“Irene Demova?” He chuckled.

 

“So beautiful and so deadly.” Morgan said with a sigh.

 

“You know, you got to understand...” Chuck unlocked the door. Morgan following behind him. “I’ve been telling you for, I don't know how long…” They both froze as they came face to face with a tall figure in black.  “Please, not the computer.” Chuck pleaded taking a second to realize that the figure was holding his computer.

 

There was a moment of silence before they left into action. Morgan grabbed a vase in attempt to depend them, only he ended up smashing it over Chucks head. Next was a side kick that landed hard between Chuck’s legs.

 

“Come on Chuck!” Morgan ordered. The figure across the way hadn’t moved, just watching them. The figure placed the computer on the shelf. One punch sent Chuck to the ground.

 

“That’s my friend!” Morgan grabbed one of the umbrellas from beside the door. He swung it like a bat, only to have the figure catch it. “Okay, look, he's not that good of a friend.” Morgan panicked. A slap across his face sent in flying, landing right on top of Chuck. A loud crash took everyone’s attention as the computer tower went tumbling to the floor.

 

“Didn’t you hang that shelf?” Chuck asked. He blinked and the figure in black was gone. Leaving Chuck with a trashed computer and mess to clean up.

**Author's Note:**

> ***This work is temporarily paused. Chapter will be slowly (Very slowly) added. Paused not abandoned. But don't hold your breath.***


End file.
